Nghinh Ong festival in Vung Tau is one of 15 selected festivals which are the biggest in 2000 by Information Culture Ministry and Tourism Gerneral Department. Nghing Ong festival and whale worshiping custom are originated from totem religion of the edge of sea’s residents in Vietnam, popularly from Thanh Hoa sea area to Kien Giang Province.

Every year, villagers all hold Nghinh Ong festival in Ba Ria Vung Tau Province area including in wards: Binh Chau (Xuyen Moc District), Phuoc Hai, Phuoc Tinh, Long Hai (Long Dat Dist.), Temples of Thang Nhat, Thang Nhi, Thang Tam (Vung Tau City)…typically is Lang Ong festival – Thang Tam Temple.

According to legend, whale worshiping customs is originated from Cham ethnic minority: "Because of Cha-aih-va named God want to come back quickly to his country after difficult magical practice that he answered back his trainer and self-wiiled deformed to become the whale."

Since then, everytime any boat is falled into calamity, the God always help them to the seashore. According to Viet race legends, the whale is Bodhisattva Goddess of mecy tearing monk’s robe to pieces and lowering down the sea surface for rescue all living creatures falling into calamity.

In Nguyen Dynasty’s history writed out: when Nguyen Anh Lord escaped outside Phu Quoc island (Kien Giang) in a big storm, the boat was going to shipwreck, he had prayed and been saved. After he recovered our country independence to become Gia Long King (Nguyen Anh Lord) and confer whale a title “Nam Hai Cu Toc Ngoc Lan Thuong Dang Than”.

The edge of sea residents respect whale as the spiritual God who help them in falling into calamity.

Nghinh Ong festival in Thang Tam temple is held on 16th, 17th, 18th of lunar August every year. In Ong royal tomb still preserve many whale’ skeletons which the first one was in 1868 when had been drifted on Thuy Van beach, Vung Tau city. This skeleton is weighty about 4 tons and long about 30 m. At present, Ong royal tomb has been preserving 2 honours in 1846 and 1850 under Tu Duc dynasty.

Nghinh Ong festival is held by the regional residents’ participation. Early morning, the festival start with people group included old men, village communes…going up a big boat which decored with flowers, flags, altar and ancestral tablet, the five notes group, gongs, drums, and lion dances group come to the defined location for offering incense, alcohol.

After that, group of boats come back wharf to welcome Ong to the temple, continuously the incense offering ceremony for our virtuous ancestors and virtuous posterities, reading funeral oration, honous, and then offering tea, flower and alcohol of pupils…

Come to the festival, tourists is enjoyed some items as follow: martial arts, dragon dances, Hat Boi…with harmony rhythm of gong sound, drum-beat in full incense.

Nghinh Ong is the occation of sea-farer who are wishing safe for themselves, catching more fishes and shrimps, the happy forever, full life. Nghinh Ong festival where everyboby memorize to return thanks, when drinking water remember its source to be grateful.

Rol.vn - Source: Ba Ria Vung Tau Tourism
Photo: Internet